Monday, February 27, 2017

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well. It is raining here today. I can't complain we have been blessed with beautiful weather for weeks. I actually enjoy a day of slow drizzle rain.

This day has found me kind of blah. I have been battling the blahs coming on for about a week now. As most of you know I have a history of depression and anxiety. I do good for a while and then I have a season that will hit me. I try hard to take measures that will help me during the blahs. A balance of rest and exercise, eating more fruit and veggies, cutting back on junk, and praying more. I notice my waves of this comes after busy days or periods. I begin to get anxious and that gives me so many symptoms and then I get blah because I feel I can't do what I want/need to.

On a lighter note my husband and I started the Daniel Fast until Easter. I pray we can hold out. We always start well but due to money and flesh we give in. I will be honest it can be expensive to eat healthy and I know there is debate on it. I also know that the investment is worth it for your health. But we will leave it at that for I know first hand how hard it can be to afford healthier options.

I will share five things I need to do today because this is what helps me accomplish things when I feel blah and when I have a hard time getting motivated. A long list can cause me to be overwhelmed.

1. Pray and Read the Bible
2. Straighten Home
3. Make a menu
4. Grocery Shop
5. Take a walk

This type of list above is what I scale back to when I am dealing with what I call the "funk". I will wake up and make a small list like this and do it. Then around lunch I will make a list of 3 things small to do. This helps me stay committed to my health, spiritual walk, family, and our home running.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Hello everyone. We are having such beautiful weather. It is really strange. I am nervous a little because our trees are blooming and budding and I pray a freeze doesn't happen. We still have a few weeks of winter.

Today is my husband's birthday. We celebrated yesterday because my oldest has to work. I made his favorite dinner. Fried Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, black eyed peas, and homemade cornbread. I finished it off with his favorite dessert...A Strawberry Swirl New York Style Cheesecake.

My oldest bought him a brand new grill and smoker with his own money and the younger ones and I bought grill supplies. He loved it. I am excited for him to use it. We love grilling and smoking meat.

Today we are finishing up school early. I am going to treat my friend to a lunch date. We rarely spend time together and she has had a lung transplant. I felt I needed to spend some time with her today.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

"I began to look at the spaces of my life and home as a kind of kingdom over which I ruled. To rule my time, to clean my mind was a choice of mental sovereignty, a reclamation of the direction, rhythm, and source of my thoughts so that I could root them in the people I loved and the life I wanted to create." ~Sally Clarkson from The Lifegiving Home

"Slow is a practice that we glean from here and there. We may adopt one small thing that helps us slow and, in turn, that may build into a second thing and so on." ~Monica Wilkinson The Slow Lane

"Slow is not without sacrifice or cost. We must give up something in its place." ~The Slow Lane

Have you read anything lately that you are "chewing" on or "thinking" on? Please share. Share about your thoughts on the above quotes.

Monday, February 20, 2017

We had a good visit with my granny. We enjoyed way too much food. I made a strawberry cake and it was good. We enjoyed watching Little House on the Prairie, Walton's, and Mystery Hallmark movies. I don't have cable TV (although we do watch movies and documentaries) so it was a treat to catch up with old episodes. Oh, and we watched Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. I haven't seen that show in forever. It was a treat.

I took the kids to the beach for a little bit. My granny lives 13 miles from the beach. It was cloudy and chilly. The water there is murky and brown because of barrier islands. But we still get a feel of beach when we go. Overall the trip was fun and a nice break from laundry, cleaning, and chores. We simply relaxed, read, talked, and watched shows. Oh....and ATE!

Sunday we enjoyed church, had lunch with friends of ours that are soon to be leaving for Greece for missionary work. After that we came home and relaxed. The weather was gorgeous. I had to giggle as I sat out by the lake enjoying a book (Wuthering Heights) for the afternoon after my previous post of Cozy Inspiration. I was totally soaking up the sun!!! I wrote that post Saturday and scheduled it for Sunday not realizing it would be like summer. Oh well...seize the moment in your in, right?

I am not setting goals really this week other than keeping our home running and school. My husband's birthday is this week. Plus, I have had a hard time with all my goals due to our daily living and I am going to just take a break for the remainder of February and work on our daily flow.
I will do our Friday Challenge of putting together a Emergency Kit.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

I love all things that remind me of cozy. As winter is beginning to wrap up (slowly for some more than others) I want to enjoy these last few weeks of the slower pace, cozy living, and simplicity that usually this time of year brings.

I will be honest it has been super warm where I live here. We have only used our fire place ONE TIME this year. It has been to warm to use it. Blooms are already on the trees and Dogwoods have already bloomed and to be honest it is really strange because it is February. It is crazy weather in my area. Cozy can sometimes be distracted due to the nice weather that makes people think Spring is already here.

But while I can I am going to relish the cozy movies, books, snuggles, baking, and blankets until I can't no longer. Usually, Spring brings BUSY. Planting gardens, showers, Easter, Mother's Day, weddings, graduations, deeper cleaning, and yard work.

Here is some inspiration to stay in the moment of cozy even if it is warm outside and everyone is MOWING their yards in February!!!!

What a dreamy sitting area!

Yes....please!!!!

All day I would do this if I could.

I just love the happy red that pops out!

That view!!!! I could lay here all day!!!!

Another dream! Look at this reading nook!!!!!

Yes, Miss Jane you are so right. There really is such enjoyment in a good book. Books just speak to me cozy! I love books!!! I love reading!!!!

Books I am planning to get cozy and read is Wuthering Heights and Jane Austen's collections.

Movies or shows that I am planning on cozying up to watch are Victoria and Ireland's Famous Castles.

All images where found by google image search and they are for pure inspiration of cozy.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It’s a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn’s shipboard romance to blossom.
But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World–isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father–his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him?
When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not – bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dramatic difference? He is here; Bairn is not.
Far from the frontier, an unexpected turn of events weaves together the lives of Bairn, Anna, and Henrik. When a secret is revealed, which true love will emerge?

MY REVIEW
The Newcomer was a wonderful read. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and I felt as if I was right there along side them in their journeys. Each of them having their on struggles, growing pains, and lessons. It was neat to see how all of it came together. Anna seemed a pillar of strength at the same time set her in her ways. I felt so torn for Bairn as he was trying to decide if Amish life was for him. He was born Amish but kidnapped as a younger child and then reunited with his family as an adult. After living a life totally different from the Amish I could feel his torn nature trying to make the best decision that would fit him. The romance between Anna and him feels pure but very strained. She is a solid Amish woman in love with him and she feels this restless nature that Amish life may not be for him.
Then you have "The Newcomer" and this story begins to twist ever so much. Henrik seems perfect. Everything Anna would like in a man but her heart is truly in love with Bairn. But Bairn is still in limbo on what he wants and I was for sure that the story would end different and it blew my mind.

The author added some funny humor with Felix, Bairn's younger brother and this really lightens the book. I giggled a few times because he was so accident prone and was always causing problems. But he was so clueless to it.

Bairn and his parents have a unique relationship and at first I really thought the father was totally controlling and cold. But once again a turn of events twists things.

I felt the hardship of these people as they fought their way to America in hopes of freedom to worship and live peaceful hardworking lives. I enjoyed the way the author was realistic in their hardships on the boat to get over to America and the reality of how hard it was for immigrants that came to America. It opened my eyes to see again the beauty of the Freedom our Great Country (USA) offered so many people.

I enjoyed this book very much. It had the right balance of romance, mystery, heartache, growing pains, life lessons, and faith building in it. I really just enjoyed how she intertwined all the people and the relationships between them. Then she blew me away almost at the end with the outcome of Henrik.

There really wasn't anything I didn't like other than it was drawn out a hair too long. I loved it other than that. It was interesting enough for me to keep reading it and looking forward to my time to do so. If it would have been any longer I may not have liked it as much.

I give this book 4 stars!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction. Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She travels back east a couple of times each year for research. For fun, too.
Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. She has an underlying belief in her books–you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate many of their principles into your life: simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily, trusting in God.
When Suzanne isn’t writing, playing tennis, or bragging to her friends about her grandbabies (so cute!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To her way of thinking, you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth.

Friday, February 17, 2017

Hello everyone. I am going to be honest last weeks challenge of eating healthy didn't go as good as I planned. I tried but didn't succeed well. The lemon water gave my stomach horrible cramps. Since my gallbladder surgery very high acid things really bother me. Its weird.

This week we are going to get together a basic ER kit and have a plan for an ER. Go through your first aid kit and update if needed. Or make one if you don't have one. Put together a ER pack if bad weather or an unforseen event happens.

Here is an example....
Lighter
Items to eat
Water bottles or jugs
Flashlight
Batteries
First aid kit
Blankets

You can add to this of course. I'm just giving a basic idea.

Also.......

Check your fire alarms and any other alarms you have. Make sure they work and batteries are replaced.

Create an ER plan with the family. Make a spot to meet at in case of a ER.

You truly can never be prepared enough but it is nice to make sure you do have basics that can help during a time of need.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

We had a wonderful day yesterday. Hannah made us a yummy cake and the Chicken Parmesan was delish. We worked most of the day preparing food and dessert while we did school and art class. We went to the park for a little bit. I read some and the kids ran around wild. *Smiles* It was very pretty but today is cold and wet. I am glad we got out yesterday. Hannah finished a beautiful painting for a friend at art this week. I think she did a great job.

My husband surprised me with a floral arrangement. One I could keep year round. I love it. I was not expecting anything at all. I was really surprised. I love it so very much. It is my style and I love that I have a Spring arrangement for my coffee table.

I hope you all had a good day. I have a busy day ahead. School, home life, and I have been asked to teach in our children church tonight so I will be preparing for that. Tomorrow we will be heading to my grandma's to visit. It has been a while since we have been. The younger children and I are planning to visit this time until Saturday.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Happy Valentine's Day! I made these simple cinnamon rolls made into a heart shape with icing and sprinkles for the kids breakfast. They loved it. Wish I could have had one. *Smiles* I am watching the waist. My kids don't eat like this on a regular basis it was a special treat for them.

Today we will make a pan of brownies to take to the gas station down the road. I had a flat tire one day and I pulled into the shop connected to it and they helped me so much and didn't charge me. They even let my kids help the mechanics. It was a fun day. They are always super nice.

We will have our family dinner tonight simply decorated with Valentines Décor. We are having Chicken Parmesan, Penne, and Bread. Hannah is making us cupcakes.

Hope you have a special day. In prayer today I felt so amazed with the most powerful love of Jesus. He is the Best Love story ever told.

Monday, February 13, 2017

We have beautiful weather here. I sat on the deck early this morning for prayer and soaked in the sun.

I started my eating healthy off good "today". Part of our Friday Challenge. I had a extra small bowl of oatmeal, egg, and small orange. I also drank my lemon water. It really is not my favorite at all. I do not like lemon water. I may have to research another beneficial drink.

I am kind in a funk after being sick last week. I having a hard time getting back in a flow. I am doing it though. I know this feeling usually hits me this time of year. I am trying to just do things that keep me focused on Jesus, family, health, and home.

I am finishing up a book for review for Bakers Publishing. It is called The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I am really enjoying it. I am also trying to finish The Broken Way and Slow Lane.

Derrick and I had our Valentines Date this past Friday. We had a coupon for a restaurant and we enjoyed a treat out. We had our date early to prevent dealing with crowds and increased prices.

This week I hope to organize some paper work and keep the home up and running.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

My daughter sat in rollers all day. Wrote a sweet letter and bought chocolate for a special man in her life. She loves her daddy and to her he is her hero. She always thanks God for her daddy.

My husband got dressed snuck out the garage door while my daughter was getting ready in her room. She heard the doorbell ring and she anxiously opened the door and found her daddy standing there with a dozen of pink roses and stuffed animal with chocolate.

She was so happy she cried. It was so precious. They exchanged their little gifts and then we took pictures and I watched my husband open her car door and they drove off to enjoy a night at our church focusing on Fathers and Daughters.

Friday, February 10, 2017

We had a neat week trying to find ways to do Random Acts of Kindness which was the challenge last week. We took $5's and put a dollar and tax money in a small bag and wrote, "Treat Yourself Today" on them and passed them out at the Dollar Store. There were so many smiles and one lady almost cried. One lady was needing a card and was scrambling for change. It was so neat to see my kids see the looks on people. They were amazed that a Dollar can still have a impact.

Then we took a milkshake to the cash register lady at the Dollar Store. She works 3 jobs and just lost one of her jobs. We never met her before yesterday. When we were checking out she was talking about how tough it has been. So, we went and got her a milkshake and delivered it to her. She was so shocked.

The kids have been doing little extra things here and there for each other and myself. Without prompting. Making each others beds, doing dishes, and laundry. Even watching how they respond to each other.

This week the challenge is going to be for me personally because my health needs it and if any of you would like to jump on I would love it. We can hold each other accountable.

The Challenge is to eat from Monday to Friday vegetables, fruit, and lean meat. Drink a glass of lemon water in the morning and limit junk. You can have one treat a day within reason. Try to make it healthy and not full of sugar.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

I am sorry ladies I meant to post my Habit of the Month at the beginning of February and it has just flew by so fast already. Last Month was Working on Procrastination. I tackled this in many ways and I will probably need to come back to this again soon. As I still seem to struggle with this. I did well when I was focusing on it in January but it seems I let it slide now I am moving into a new month.

Granted I have been sick most of February and that has thrown me off the loop. This month I am focusing on growing deeper in prayer. I pray daily and through out the day on the most part. But I would like to take that deeper. I have noticed I have became kind of stagnant in this area.

I want a prayer life that flows and that is truly intimate with God. My word for the year is PRAY. I think it is only fitting to work on deepening my prayer life as habit or shall I say lifestyle.

I plan to lengthen my prayer time, dig deeper in intercession, and truly focus on repentance and cleaning out any areas in my heart and soul that are hidden deep that I have maybe tucked away without noticing.

I will probably share weekly on how it is going. What about you? Any habit your working on this month? How do you practice strengthening your prayer life?

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

My husband and I noticed some issues this past year with basic things we worked very hard on with the children when they were younger. Little flaws that we have seen creeping in their lives as well as ours.

I know I have a genre of readers of all ages and seasons of motherhood. But I can say that even we ourselves can always work and polish our character. We are never too old to stop working on ourselves.

Based on the book, Teaching Your Children Values, we choose a character we would like to focus on monthly. We make a banner with the character name, write the name on our boards throughout the home, and talk about it daily as we go about our day. Mainly at supper time. At the beginning of the month I share what we are going to focus on and ask them to tell me what they think it means. Then I share with them on the topic.

All month we focus on this in our daily lives. They have even pointed out to me when I slipped. Which is a great thing because it is helping me become a better example.

At the end of the month we give an award a child that showed the most character improvement or high quality character. Every child will get a turn. We also treat them.

I know this may sound like bribery but to us when we work hard we like something in return and God also showers us with blessings when we obey. That is our parental view on this.

January our character was Respect. I wanted to use my oldest as an example because he already has developed most of these character qualities and my younger kids look up to him.

I treated him to a breakfast at his favorite doughnut shop. He was also given an award. This gave the younger children a good reflection of being happy for others when they are treated for hard work. Believe me this has got the younger to working really hard this month which is Kindness.

You can apply this to yourself as an adult. One book I read by Emily Barnes made a suggestion of studying out scripture through out the month or year of something you are having issues on and applying the Word of God and praying through that fruit of the spirit that needs to be refreshed.
She studied on Gossip in her younger years. I loved this idea. I often apply it to my life from gluttony, materialism, depression, faithfulness, and love.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Ya'll I have been sick and I will be honest laying around has been very difficult while on the mend. I need encouragement and I do find it in the Word of the Lord and etc. but blogging always encourages me and I always feel lifted when I check out the blogs I visit.

Due to my "crud" and been bound to bed I am lifting my break until I get better.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Hey my sweet friends. I will be taking a Media Break this week. I will be back with regular posting the following week. Starting on Tuesday.

I have been enjoying reading your blogs (check my Inspired Places on my side bar) and your encouraging visits and comments. I will be back just having a little Media Fast.

Don't Forget the Friday Challenge from this past Friday. Do a Random Act of Kindness this week.

And for this Friday coming I challenge you to take a day off Media. You would be so treated I promise. The world will still be here (if the Lord Will's) and all the news will be around the next day. I can tell you there is a wonderful refreshing that comes from pulling yourself back from media, news, and even just the over abundance of information rather good or not.

This is a part of slowing and stilling your heart and mind. It really does bring a fresh perspective.

Have a super week friends. Please continue to pray for me as I am still battling the crud.

Friday, February 3, 2017

Hello everyone!! I have come down with a bad cold and bug. Yay! I started this week with a Stove Fire, Lizard in my bed, walls being ripped out of my bathroom and ended it with a cold. But not all is bad as it seems. There was for sure pockets of grace, joy, and goodness. Thank the Lord.

Last week I challenged us to say YES more. You will have to read the past post. I don't mean to busyness per se or being ran over by others. But more like saying yes to a child wanting to snuggle, bake something, or lend a hand when you rather stay in bed.

This month for our Character Focus with the kids we are working on Kindness. I will share about this next week. So, what a perfect challenge for us to practice this as an adult.

Challenge- Do one RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS this week. Use your imagination.

Ideas are all over pinterest and blogs.

A few...

bake a goodie and deliver to someone in your neighborhood you really don't know

tape dollars on a vending machine

take some cards, lotions, puzzles, or socks to the nursing home

put carts up in the parking lot

pass out homeless bag

leave diapers and wipes on a baby changing station in a store

take a meal to someone in need

help load groceries in the car for an elderly

take a treat to community workers

take a treat to your doctor offices, dentist, or people that help you

take flowers to someone that you know needs some sunshine

Last week I took sunflowers to the librarian that I have become to know in the past year a little. She has been having a hard time and I felt led to get her a happy. The smile on her face was so rewarding.

Also, there are things you can do inside the home for those closest to you.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

It is February and I truly can't believe it. Especially since the weather here is super warm and sunny. I am standing here with windows up and a nice breeze blowing through the home.

I added a wooden sign from the Dollar Store to my Christmas Wreath. It turned out cute I think.

I got this mail wrap with a gift card I got for Christmas. I love Mail Wraps.

Hannah painted me this for Valentine Décor this year. It is on my dresser.

Got to love scrabble pieces. I love decorating with them. It is really a thing from the past but I still love it.

I found this cute banner for $5 a few year months ago. I love it.

That is all I did this year. I do have a little love sign on the deck. But I kept it very simple. During our move I lost my Valentine Décor and I didn't want to spend any money really on it. It seems frivolous but the kids love when I decorate so I tried to stay under $10 for décor and keep it simple. I can reuse this stuff for years to come and I actually ended up spending $7 for it all. Not too bad. Not when I can reuse it.

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Laine's Letters...HOPE for the Homemaker!!!

In 2007 when I began my journey of studying the role of Proverbs 31 I came across the best thing that has helped me as a young mom learning her role as a Wife, Mom, and Homemaker. All these years later I cling to the words of Laine. She no longer writes (that I know of) but her archives of her letters, "In the Home" help, and recipes are located here. Please visit this if you are in need of help, hope, and direction for your role in the home.
Laine's Letters!